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Hi
I have just joined this site after reading and seeing how helpful and supportive it is.
I am hoping I could also get some advice and I'm sorry if any of the following shouldn't be written on here. I think it's ok from what I've read on other posts but I am quite nervous as it is a long post too.
I have had a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome since 2009 but have never until this year had anytime off work because of it.I take daily medication to help though. I have been with my current employers(who are an agency) since 8/12/2014 on a full time contract.
April 2016- I was off work for 7 days with an ear infection taking antibiotics.
They didn't work & I started undergoing blood tests which showed no sign of infection but possible auto immune disease.As I work in a call centre and my ear was so painful with some hearing loss.I asked to reduce my hours.
June 2016- the ear infection absence made me hit a 'trigger point' of ten days off in a year sick.I was given a verbal warning which I accepted as my other days were for bereavements of my pets that don't qualify for compassionate leave.
July 2016- I was referred to specialists with guarantee to be seen in 12 weeks.I asked again about reducing hours because I was struggling badly after one more absence of two days due to the pain and nausea.
My agency said they would approach the business to arrange this but it could take up to six months.
Aug 2016- I collapsed in street & was admitted to hospital.Discharge letter states acute viral labrynthitis caused by my underlying ear condition & was advised bed rest & painkillers.Doctor urged my specialist appt.
Went back to work for 1 day because I had to hand in a sickline(so I could be paid ssp plus a doctors letter my agency requested from me to reduce my hours).
I had 4 days of annual leave already booked so went on that immediately hoping my hours could be reduced to 3 days a week with rest days inbetween for my return.
Still unwell due to vertigo, vomiting ,exhaustion & pain so was off again for 7 days.returned to work with reduced hours in place which helped a bit but still struggling.
Sept 2016- advised I would be called to another meeting regarding sickness but I was told on two seperate occasions not to worry it was just that my agency managers had to prove to their managers that they were following procedure so don't worry. So because of their misleading assurances I didn't ask for my union rep to come as I genuinely believed them that nothing would happen.
They issued me with a written warning.They said they want to write to my doctor to which I asked if I can see the questions they will have asked(because I don't trust them now since I feel they misled me about the disciplinary meeting ) & they told me I would need to write to them to ask for it and pay £10 ( I now know this isn't true).
I was very upset & said I didn't think it was fair as I have no control over this illness & as I was told when in hospital I could have flare up of this labrynthitis at anytime until treatment & all absence linked.They said if I had a diagnosis 'things would be different'
My doctor has signed me off for two weeks on 6/09/16 statng chronic fatigue syndrome/undiagnosed ear pain on my sickline.This is the first time I thought the ear pain may be linked to my cfs - but I still don't know that until investigations from the specialists. The pain is now in both ears .When I called to confirm receipt of my sickline my agency manager asked me if I was going to return before my sickline finished.I was astonished and said no.Then they phoned me again & asked if I would be back when my sickline finished.I said I don't know .They said 'if you don't come back then the next stage in our procedure is to visit you at home on the day you were meant to come back' My sickline was extended for 14 days again and my work wanted to visit as they previously said but I said it has to be a day my daughter can come & do some housework first.They phone me so often asking 'how do you feel? When do you think you might be back?' that I don't really feel I am off work as I spend so much time speaking to them on the phone(which is painful to my ear). I have asked them to confirm in writing that the home visit is a welfare meeting and have had no response.They scheduled it for a bank holiday when my union rep couldn't attend so I have requested it to be moved to the following week on 3/10/16.
I take strong medication for the pain as well as my cfs meds now.I am happy to sign the letter for a doctors report so long as I write on it that I wish to see it first before it is sent to them.The one they tried to get my to sign which is 'the one they use' doesn't have this option on it so I will write the information on it(I read to do that on one of the threads on here thankyou))
I now have a specialist appt in Oct thank god as pain plus stress over their pressure is stopping my sleep.Its dreadful.
I think they want to sack me.I am so exhausted I can't concentrate properly - I have a wonderful friend with employment law experience who is helping me with emails etc. I have never been out of a job for 25 years and I am so worried about finances ( receiving help on this though via disability application ).I just want to get treatment and get better , so I can go back to work and for my work to stop hounding me as it's making me much worse. There has never been any issue with my performance at work.I would prefer contact once a week by email as I dread their calls 3 times a week where I feel I am defending myself. I understand when they tell me 'they are a business' and they need to make money but I didn't wake up and make myself ill one day, I hate being so ill.My daughter has to accompany me on days when I leave the house incase I collapse again because I am so off balance. I can't cook because I had a dizzy spell & the smoke alarm woke me up just as the cooker caught fire.I feel I have lost my independence.
I could still recover from this undiagnosed ear condition is my argument once I have seen the specialists. I accept if there is no treatment and I can't get better then yes I can't expect to continue being employed by them.I get ssp. If they do fire me can I claim discrimination or unfair dismissal because I have only been with them for 22 months.I feel so unwell that I would find the process very difficult and almost want to give up if it wasnt for the fear of having it on my cv that I was fired for being off sick.
Sorry this post is so long for such a simple question at the end but I wanted to give you all the facts and very much appreciate any advice given.
Still awake and worrying so have just added this bit: on my application form for the job it asked if I considered myself to have a disability.I said no as I had no idea at the time that my cfs could be classed as a disability. I only found out when I was looking for help with finances in August 2016 when I was reducing my hours and a charity put me in touch with a disability & discrimination helpline.If I was given a health questionnaire which I don't think I was I do know for absolute certain that I was never asked if I had cfs or I would obviously had said yes.
The helpline said I wasn't obliged to tell them about it as at the time I believed it wasn't a disability.
Thankyou
I have just joined this site after reading and seeing how helpful and supportive it is.
I am hoping I could also get some advice and I'm sorry if any of the following shouldn't be written on here. I think it's ok from what I've read on other posts but I am quite nervous as it is a long post too.
I have had a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome since 2009 but have never until this year had anytime off work because of it.I take daily medication to help though. I have been with my current employers(who are an agency) since 8/12/2014 on a full time contract.
April 2016- I was off work for 7 days with an ear infection taking antibiotics.
They didn't work & I started undergoing blood tests which showed no sign of infection but possible auto immune disease.As I work in a call centre and my ear was so painful with some hearing loss.I asked to reduce my hours.
June 2016- the ear infection absence made me hit a 'trigger point' of ten days off in a year sick.I was given a verbal warning which I accepted as my other days were for bereavements of my pets that don't qualify for compassionate leave.
July 2016- I was referred to specialists with guarantee to be seen in 12 weeks.I asked again about reducing hours because I was struggling badly after one more absence of two days due to the pain and nausea.
My agency said they would approach the business to arrange this but it could take up to six months.
Aug 2016- I collapsed in street & was admitted to hospital.Discharge letter states acute viral labrynthitis caused by my underlying ear condition & was advised bed rest & painkillers.Doctor urged my specialist appt.
Went back to work for 1 day because I had to hand in a sickline(so I could be paid ssp plus a doctors letter my agency requested from me to reduce my hours).
I had 4 days of annual leave already booked so went on that immediately hoping my hours could be reduced to 3 days a week with rest days inbetween for my return.
Still unwell due to vertigo, vomiting ,exhaustion & pain so was off again for 7 days.returned to work with reduced hours in place which helped a bit but still struggling.
Sept 2016- advised I would be called to another meeting regarding sickness but I was told on two seperate occasions not to worry it was just that my agency managers had to prove to their managers that they were following procedure so don't worry. So because of their misleading assurances I didn't ask for my union rep to come as I genuinely believed them that nothing would happen.
They issued me with a written warning.They said they want to write to my doctor to which I asked if I can see the questions they will have asked(because I don't trust them now since I feel they misled me about the disciplinary meeting ) & they told me I would need to write to them to ask for it and pay £10 ( I now know this isn't true).
I was very upset & said I didn't think it was fair as I have no control over this illness & as I was told when in hospital I could have flare up of this labrynthitis at anytime until treatment & all absence linked.They said if I had a diagnosis 'things would be different'
My doctor has signed me off for two weeks on 6/09/16 statng chronic fatigue syndrome/undiagnosed ear pain on my sickline.This is the first time I thought the ear pain may be linked to my cfs - but I still don't know that until investigations from the specialists. The pain is now in both ears .When I called to confirm receipt of my sickline my agency manager asked me if I was going to return before my sickline finished.I was astonished and said no.Then they phoned me again & asked if I would be back when my sickline finished.I said I don't know .They said 'if you don't come back then the next stage in our procedure is to visit you at home on the day you were meant to come back' My sickline was extended for 14 days again and my work wanted to visit as they previously said but I said it has to be a day my daughter can come & do some housework first.They phone me so often asking 'how do you feel? When do you think you might be back?' that I don't really feel I am off work as I spend so much time speaking to them on the phone(which is painful to my ear). I have asked them to confirm in writing that the home visit is a welfare meeting and have had no response.They scheduled it for a bank holiday when my union rep couldn't attend so I have requested it to be moved to the following week on 3/10/16.
I take strong medication for the pain as well as my cfs meds now.I am happy to sign the letter for a doctors report so long as I write on it that I wish to see it first before it is sent to them.The one they tried to get my to sign which is 'the one they use' doesn't have this option on it so I will write the information on it(I read to do that on one of the threads on here thankyou))
I now have a specialist appt in Oct thank god as pain plus stress over their pressure is stopping my sleep.Its dreadful.
I think they want to sack me.I am so exhausted I can't concentrate properly - I have a wonderful friend with employment law experience who is helping me with emails etc. I have never been out of a job for 25 years and I am so worried about finances ( receiving help on this though via disability application ).I just want to get treatment and get better , so I can go back to work and for my work to stop hounding me as it's making me much worse. There has never been any issue with my performance at work.I would prefer contact once a week by email as I dread their calls 3 times a week where I feel I am defending myself. I understand when they tell me 'they are a business' and they need to make money but I didn't wake up and make myself ill one day, I hate being so ill.My daughter has to accompany me on days when I leave the house incase I collapse again because I am so off balance. I can't cook because I had a dizzy spell & the smoke alarm woke me up just as the cooker caught fire.I feel I have lost my independence.
I could still recover from this undiagnosed ear condition is my argument once I have seen the specialists. I accept if there is no treatment and I can't get better then yes I can't expect to continue being employed by them.I get ssp. If they do fire me can I claim discrimination or unfair dismissal because I have only been with them for 22 months.I feel so unwell that I would find the process very difficult and almost want to give up if it wasnt for the fear of having it on my cv that I was fired for being off sick.
Sorry this post is so long for such a simple question at the end but I wanted to give you all the facts and very much appreciate any advice given.
Still awake and worrying so have just added this bit: on my application form for the job it asked if I considered myself to have a disability.I said no as I had no idea at the time that my cfs could be classed as a disability. I only found out when I was looking for help with finances in August 2016 when I was reducing my hours and a charity put me in touch with a disability & discrimination helpline.If I was given a health questionnaire which I don't think I was I do know for absolute certain that I was never asked if I had cfs or I would obviously had said yes.
The helpline said I wasn't obliged to tell them about it as at the time I believed it wasn't a disability.
Thankyou
